books!

I love books! I love reading, when I can find the time–which is always the key. My boys love books too. I enjoy getting books from the library for them about any topics they’ve shown interest in. Carson’s totally into inventions, so we got a fun book about a little boy who loved to invent things. Dev loves to cook with us, so we got a kid cookbook. I’m all about helping them gain an appreciation for how much they can learn from reading!

I also wanted to talk about a couple I’ve read recently (or re-read) and what I learned from them.

First, my friends Andrea and Rachel told me about the book I Am A Mother. The author, Jane Clayson Johnson, was a career woman and heard over and over mom’s saying they were “just a mom”. But the part that I really REALLY loved was how she talked about how we, as women, judge each other and compare so much, that we miss out on really loving and giving of ourselves to other women and helping each other. I guess what I liked about that was, if we all stopped comparing and judging or whatever we do with each other, we’d be so much happier and probably gain a lot of meaningful friendships. I heard on Sunday at church someone say something about how we sometimes focus so much on other’s shortcomings that we overlook our own. I know that we, as women, are hard on ourselves, but we are probably sometimes too harsh on others. My sister Janina and I often talk about how you just never know what someone is going through, and how our judgements can be so hasty sometimes, when all that person really needed was love and a friend. Not someone to judge them or think they aren’t doing something right, or think their kids are doing things all wrong and it’s the parent’s fault. I’m totally rambling now, but seriously, this is something I feel really strongly about–if we all focused on how we can become better, and just give people our love and the benefit of the doubt, I think we’d all be much happier!

One of my favorite books that I’ve just recently read again is The Burning Within, by Ranelle Wallace. I LOVE this book. Sister Wallace came to speak to our ward when I was in Young Women’s, and she was awesome. I loved how, in her experience in the after-life, she talks about seeing how her actions affected others. I love that she mentioned her low self-esteem and how it affected the way she treated her kids. I loved that she said the message she was sent back with was LOVE. To love everyone! I’ve also felt how incredible it would be to really feel each other’s spirit, without thinking about worldly things, but to just feel that spirit and what that person is all about. How differently we would treat people if we could sense their goodness and feel their love or pain or sorrow. I just love this book. Seriously an amazing story. Warning though: it is a little graphic, and it isn’t that well-written, but the story is amazing.

I also read The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch. I didn’t really love the whole thing, but the best part about it to me was how awesome his own parents were at letting him follow his heart and reach his potential. They totally encouraged his dreams, made him feel like he could do anything. I totally want my kids to feel that way.

I’m not done with A Thousand Splendid Suns yet…I have about 100 pages left. It is sad and eye-opening, but I am also filled with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that we live in such an incredible place. I am amazed at how women are treated there. I have really liked the book though, and I’m excited to finish it. Throughout the book, I’ve also had a greater desire to play and spend time with my kids. And that is always a good thing!

Have you heard of goodreads? You sign up and add friends, and everyone shares what they’ve read and rate it, and can review it as well. I love it! What books have inspired you lately? I’m always on the look-out for some good ones!